diff --git a/django/core/management/commands/makemessages.py b/django/core/management/commands/makemessages.py
index 449d3d7c5a6..2b2755d8d13 100644
--- a/django/core/management/commands/makemessages.py
+++ b/django/core/management/commands/makemessages.py
@@ -234,8 +234,6 @@ def write_po_file(pofile, potfile, domain, locale, verbosity, stdout,
         "#. #-#-#-#-#  %s.pot (PACKAGE VERSION)  #-#-#-#-#\n" % domain, "")
     with open(pofile, 'w') as fp:
         fp.write(msgs)
-    if not keep_pot:
-        os.unlink(potfile)
     if no_obsolete:
         msgs, errors, status = _popen(
             'msgattrib %s %s -o "%s" --no-obsolete "%s"' %
@@ -314,6 +312,16 @@ def make_messages(locale=None, domain='django', verbosity=1, all=False,
     wrap = '--no-wrap' if no_wrap else ''
     location = '--no-location' if no_location else ''
 
+    potfile = os.path.join(localedir, '%s.pot' % str(domain))
+
+    if os.path.exists(potfile):
+        os.unlink(potfile)
+
+    for dirpath, file in find_files(".", ignore_patterns, verbosity,
+            stdout, symlinks=symlinks):
+        process_file(file, dirpath, potfile, domain, verbosity, extensions,
+                wrap, location, keep_pot, stdout)
+
     for locale in locales:
         if verbosity > 0:
             stdout.write("processing language %s\n" % locale)
@@ -322,20 +330,14 @@ def make_messages(locale=None, domain='django', verbosity=1, all=False,
             os.makedirs(basedir)
 
         pofile = os.path.join(basedir, '%s.po' % str(domain))
-        potfile = os.path.join(basedir, '%s.pot' % str(domain))
-
-        if os.path.exists(potfile):
-            os.unlink(potfile)
-
-        for dirpath, file in find_files(".", ignore_patterns, verbosity,
-                stdout, symlinks=symlinks):
-            process_file(file, dirpath, potfile, domain, verbosity, extensions,
-                    wrap, location, keep_pot, stdout)
 
         if os.path.exists(potfile):
             write_po_file(pofile, potfile, domain, locale, verbosity, stdout,
                     not invoked_for_django, wrap, location, no_obsolete, keep_pot)
 
+    if not keep_pot:
+        os.unlink(potfile)
+
 
 class Command(NoArgsCommand):
     option_list = NoArgsCommand.option_list + (
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/i18n/commands/extraction.py b/tests/regressiontests/i18n/commands/extraction.py
index bd2b84a9520..6a8ebc76703 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/i18n/commands/extraction.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/i18n/commands/extraction.py
@@ -297,8 +297,9 @@ class NoLocationExtractorTests(ExtractorTests):
 
 class KeepPotFileExtractorTests(ExtractorTests):
 
+    POT_FILE='locale/django.pot'
+
     def setUp(self):
-        self.POT_FILE = self.PO_FILE + 't'
         super(KeepPotFileExtractorTests, self).setUp()
 
     def tearDown(self):